Pharmacy automation systems that utilize a dispensing canister must be constantly recalibrated to accept solid oral medications of different shapes and sizes. Medications change size on a regular basis due to the competitive nature of the pharmaceutical industry. Each time a wholesaler or generic manufacturer releases a product at a lower cost, the pharmacy must decide if the lowered medication cost warrants the cost of recalibrating the canister. This decision impacts the consumer who depends on his or her pharmacy to provide medications at competitive prices. The present invention addresses the need to have a dispensing mechanism that can be easily modified to accept medications of various sizes.
Pill dispensers presently available in the marketplace commonly operate by a feed mechanism in the vertical direction. Such dispensers rely on gravity to assist with the processing and escapement-style singulation of pills. Gravity-fed systems have several drawbacks. In the event of the escapement-style mechanism failing, pills are free to escape from the dispenser. If the dispenser is removed and replaced onto its dispensing base, the feed mechanism may be jarred, resulting in an unintentional pill being ejected from the canister. Further to this point, no mechanism exists to prevent dispenser tampering by an individual whose goal is to abscond with medication. In contrast to conventional pill dispensers, the feed mechanism of the present invention operates substantially in the horizontal direction.
Prior art devices that dispense articles, specifically medication, are plagued by numerous problems, including failing to singulate, i.e., deliver only one object at a time, and crushing of the object, which adulterates the dispensed product. The present invention provides for effective and continual singulation. Furthermore, the present invention, through its design and method of dispensing, prevents the crushing of articles and the detrimental effects that follow after an article, such as oral medication, is crushed. Among other things, the present invention overcomes inconsistent feeding of pills, inadvertent dispensing of pills, dust, upgrading challenges, communication problems and security issues.